The switch from keeping laying hens in a floor or free range system into a cage system led to a considerable change in the way that breeding and selection took place. In the past 40–50 years up to the present date, the increase in genetic improvement of the egg laying trait was substantial. However, cage-adapted populations of laying hens seem to have lost some of their abilities to an adequate performance when returned to the old floor\free range systems. The strong concentration of all parts of the poultry production has meant that less than 10 international breeding companies supply most hens for laying purposes in the world and they have very little interest in developing genetic material for the West-European region where there are marked consumer preferences for eggs produced in non-cage systems. A particular Danish line, of White Leghorn origin named “The Skalborg hen” seems to have survived during an era of cage production system and they seems to have a production potential at farm level.

At the beginning of the 1980's, Sambucana sheep, which have inhabited a valley in the northern Italian region of Cuneo since the Eighteenth century, were on the verge of extinction. In an effort to safeguard the breed, the ‘Comunità Montana’ and local institutes set up a consortium which includes approximately eighty breeders and has entrusted the recovery of the breed's genetic heritage, threatened by repeated cross-breeding with Biellese sheep, to a ram centre. The sales of Sambucana lamb, which is a highly prized meat guaranteed by a specific brand, have increased at the shops in the province served by the consortium, and moreover the economy of mountain communities has benefited from the protection program. A pack of wolves endangering the summer grazing of the sheep at high altitudes could in the future have a negative effect on the purity of the breed and the characteristics of the meat.

The use of Holstein cattle genes from Canada and the United States is increasing in European Friesians. Estimates of the rate of change are given.

Pedigree analysis using genealogical information of 18 315 animals born between 1949 and 2008 was done to quantify genetic variability of the Sahiwal population in Kenya. Generation intervals for sire pathways were longer than dam pathways and increased over year periods, from about 4–16 years. The later was due to use of old bulls for breeding in the last 2 year groups and cessation of progeny testing in the year 2000. Average inbreeding level in last year period studied was 1.2 percent. Genetic variability of the population as assessed based on gene origin statistics decreased over the years. The ratio of effective number of founders to founders of 0.06 showed unequal contribution of founders to the reference population. However, since the founding population, ancestors contributed equally as shown by the ratio of f e/f a of 0.94, which could also be due to lack of effective selection in this population. The ratio of f g/f a of 0.63 indicated genetic loss of genetic variability occurred through genetic drift in the Kenyan Sahiwal population. The small number of ancestors (16) that accounted for 50 percent of the total variation in the reference population suggested overuse of a small number of some animals as parents over generations. The smaller ratio of f g/f e compared with f a/f e also confirms loss of genetic variability in the population by genetic drift than bottlenecks. Therefore the breeding strategy for the Sahiwal population in Kenya should incorporate tools that balance rate of genetic gain and the future rate of inbreeding.

With the aim of assessing how exchange practices regarding Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (AnGR) affect the various stakeholders in the livestock sector and to identify policies and regulatory options that could guide the global exchange, use and conservation of AnGR, an exploration of future scenarios was used as a complementary approach to reviewing the current situation, as well as to identify stakeholders’ views on AnGR policy development.

Four 2050 future scenarios were developed and included:

1. Globalization and regionalization.

2. Biotechnology development.

3. Climate change and environmental degradation.

4. Diseases and disasters.

Having developed the scenarios, these were then used as an input point for a wide range of stakeholder consultations.

The findings show that such an approach has been a useful analytical tool. The ‘far’ future perspective appeared to make people less defensive, especially in a situation where current exchange problems were not yet particularly visible or well documented. Many interviewees broadly considered that it was not a question of ‘if’ the scenarios would happen, but rather a question of ‘when’. This implies that we might do well to consider the need to respond to future challenges through the proactive development of new policies or regulations. Such a finding is partly in contrast with the general perception of the current regulatory situation being broadly acceptable.

The origin of the Criollo cattle of the Americas is described. Then a review is given of the Criollo in each of a number of different Latin American countries with their present known performances, their geographical distributions, numbers and improvement programmes.

Studies on Sahiwal cattle genetic resources in the tropics have mainly concentrated on evaluating their performance levels, with only a few published reports describing the breed characteristics. The aim of this study was to critically examine the existing breeding and conservation programmes for Sahiwal cattle in the tropics, focusing on Pakistan, India and Kenya as the core regions of development. The study was based on review of both published and unpublished literature highlighting shortcomings and strengths in the existing strategies, and opportunities for improvement and conservation. The Sahiwal breed is utilized for dairy and beef production under smallholder dairy, pastoral extensive and ranching production systems, both as pure-breds or cross-breds. The necessary components to strengthen the breeding programmes such as performance recording, genetic evaluation and artificial insemination (AI) facilities exist to differing degrees. Breeding and conservation efforts benefit from the technical and financial support from government research institutions which also provide incentives to enhance participation in the programmes. However, breeding goals are rather informal and only defined in terms of high-production levels with functional traits largely ignored. There is need for participatory identification of breeding and production goals, and structured cooperation of the small herds, so as to accommodate the specific contributions of the breed in future breeding and conservation programmes.

The Kerry is the most numerous of the three surviving indigenous breeds of cattle in Ireland. With a total population currently under a thousand animals it is listed as endangered in the World Watch list. Conservation efforts currently focus on both in situ and ex situ conservation. This approach is possible because of the existence of a few enthusiastic pedigree breeders, a breed society and a herdbook with registrations dating back to the 19th century. The Kerry cattle population is small with overlapping generations. The main objective in its conservation is to minimise inbreeding and conserve genetic variation. The Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) was recently mandated to support and co-ordinate the conservation efforts which are centred around minimum coancestry selection, a mating advisory service, semen and embryo cryoconservation. To this end, a mean relationship system was developed for the routine computation of inbreeding and provision of a mating advisory system. Four bulls are identified annually for semen collection and storage. A second scheme aims to identify 15 cows for embryo cryoconservation over a three-year period. Future conservation efforts will benefit from the collation of Kerry cattle breeding and production information in a central database. This and a study of the dynamics of the Kerry cattle population are future priorities for ICBF in an effort to prevent the extinction of the Kerry cattle.

Munjal is a mutton-type sheep found in some districts of the Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan states. A sample survey was conducted in two districts of Rajasthan and one district of Punjab to record characteristics of Munjal sheep. Information was recorded on morphological characteristics, body measurements and body weight. Munjal sheep are quite big in size, tall, rectangular and massive with a dark brown face. Measurements were recorded of body length, height, heart girth, paunch girth, ear length and tail length. Adult body weights were also recorded. Wool samples were collected and analysed for their quality attributes. Wool from this breed is very coarse and hairy.

Bonpala is a dual purpose sheep breed found in Sikkim, Western Bhutan and Eastern Nepal. A sample survey was conducted in east Sikkim to record characteristics of Bonpala sheep. Information was recorded on morphological characteristics, management practices and body measurements. Bonpala sheep have mixed colours ranging from all white, white and black or all black. Measurements were recorded of body length, height, heart girth, paunch girth, rump width, pin width, face length, face width, ear length, tail length, horn length and horn circumference.

For some years Animal Genetic Resources has been a major topic for consideration and discusion by the FAO Committee in Agriculture (COAG), by the Council and the Conference (the governing body of FAO).

Following requests of earlier meetings the 1991 COAG meeting considered the outline global programme proposed on An GR and also heard the recommendations requesting the possible expansion of Plant Genetic Resources Structure to one for Biological Diversity.

Native breeds of beef cattle in Britain have been superseded by imported breeds since the 1960s, but a changing market in the 1990s has begun to restore traditional values. The distinctive qualities of native breeds are becoming more relevant, and the White Park is a prime example of their importance. This paper makes a critical evaluation of several studies of White Park cattle that have been carried out, namely productivity in non-intensive systems of management, assessment of type and function by linear measurements, quality of product (meat), and value in crossing programmes. It concludes that breeds such as the White Park derive significant added value as a result of their native adaptability and the high quality of their beef, and that they benefit from a market driven by consumers rather than supermarkets. The use of different linear measurements is proposed, and the effective use of White Park bulls in crossing programmes is demonstrated.

The conservation and sustainable use of animal genetic resources (AGR) is now recognized as a legitimate activity of public concern in which inter-governmental, governmental, non-governmental and private sectors are involved. Livestock breeds became threatened on a large scale only in the second half of the 20th century. They are now recognized as a significant human heritage resulting from domestication whose loss would deplete the quality of human life. Conservation as a conscious and organized activity is therefore a new item on the public agenda. This paper traces the origin of livestock conservation from the Vision in the 1950s and 1960s through the awakening of the environmental movement with the creation of UNEP in 1972, followed by the development of a Joint Conservation Infrastructure and Programme for animal genetic resources in the 1980s by FAO and UNEP.

The paper describes the context, participants, constraints, opposition and activities of building the AGR Conservation Infrastructure and Programme. Although the concept of conservation was opposed by some and there were both financial and political difficulties, an effective institutional infrastructure for conservation was built by FAO by 1990 using UNEP funds. In 1992, the advent of the Convention on BioDiversity offered substantial funding for project activities for the first time through the Global Environmental Facility (GEF). At that point it was desirable to move activities from central planning to the design, funding and operation of local or national conservation projects. “Top-down” institutional control should have been replaced by “Bottom-up” conservation activities. Regrettably this did not happen during the 1990s and, as shown by successive editions of the World Watch List, the number of endangered livestock breeds has continued to increase. Now that the conservation vision is accepted and the institutional infrastructures are in place it is time for a new dynamic by creating and funding specific conservation projects which harness the local human resources of knowledge and enthusiasm.

These Guidelines are for use in assisting the development of Country Reports as strategic policy documentation covering the state of animal genetic resources, of the art and capacity to manage these resources, and of country needs and priorities.

The Guidelines serve to help support conduct of the country-driven State of the World Process for Animal Genetic Resources, preparation for which is being co-ordinated globally by FAO. The Country Reports will serve as the formative documentation in this Process and the involvement of all stakeholders in the development of these Reports is strongly encouraged.

A broad range of experts and of countries have contributed to developing the Guidelines, which are designed for use in conjunction with the State of the World Reporting Module of the Domestic Animal Diversity Information System http://www.fao.org/dad-is/ following training and in-country coordination of action.

In Europe, more than 60 breeds are described by the national associations of rabbit breeders. However, these breeds are scarcely used in the commercial production of rabbit meat in Europe, which is based mainly on commercial strains. A European programme, coordinated by the I. N. R. A., has been initiated to realise the inventory of all these breeds and to evaluate the zootechnical value and the genetic characteristics of some of them. Through the European association of rabbit breeders and the FAO national focal points, all the European countries have been asked to fill out a questionnaire describing their populations of rabbits. A data bank is being set up, which will be included in the FAO (DAD-IS) and EAAP data banks. A sample of 10 breeds has been chosen (Flemish Giant, French Lop, Belgian Hare, Vienna White, Champagne Argente, Thuringer, Fauve de Bourgogne, Chinchilla, Himalayan, British). Their zootechnical value (reproduction, growth and carcass traits) is being evaluated on three experimental farms, in comparison with a control breed. At the same time, their genetic polymorphism and the genetic distances between these 10 breeds are calculated on the basis of microsatellites, mitochondrial DNA, other genetic markers and protein polymorphism. Finally, a bank of frozen embryos from these 10 breeds is being constituted.

Une enquête a été menée dans les régions de Bouaké et de Korhogo pour inventorier et caractériser les différents types de bovins à viande. Des mesures barymétriques ont été enregistrées sur 511 animaux à Bouaké et 929 à Korhogo pour lesquels les éleveurs ont été invités à indiquer le nom du type phénotypique. L'inventaire des élevages a permis d'identifier 5 types phénotypiques de bovins que sont le N'Dama, le Baoulé, le Zébu, le Méré et le “Métis”. Les descripteurs qui permettent d'identifier au mieux ces différents types de bovins sont la présence/absence de bosse, la couleur de la robe, le périmètre thoracique et la hauteur au garrot. Malgré le métissage qui s'exerce sur elles, les races taurines (N'Dama et Baoulé) présentent des populations homogènes et stables. Le Méré présente une population homogène dans la région de Korhogo et semble être un type phénotypique bien fixé avec 83% d'animaux bien classés. Le pourcentage moyen d'animaux bien classés dans les régions de Bouaké et Korhogo est respectivement de 79 et 68%; ce qui dénote une très bonne connaissance des animaux par les éleveurs. Les caractères déterminants identifiés à partir de cette analyse peuvent servir à définir les standards des races concernées.

The Nublang is a unique dual-purpose breed of Bos indicus cattle found in Bhutan. They have been crossed with Mithun (Bos frontalis) and Bos taurus breeds in an effort to improve milk production leading to a decline in the population of purebred Nublang. An alternative to crossbreeding would be the genetic improvement of milk yield within purebred Nublang, thus allowing conservation and sustainable utilization of the pure breed. It is important to measure the genetic variability (heritability) of milk yield to assess the potential for genetic improvement within Nublang. Therefore this study estimated phenotypic and genetic parameters of milk yield using 2 052 test day milk yields from 66 cows recorded from 1997 to 2013 in the National Nublang Farm, Tashiyangphu. The average daily milk yield (DMY) was 2.12 ± 0.7 litres (N 2 052, range: 0.3–5.0 L, CV: 34 percent). Parity, month in milk and year all had a significant effect on DMY (P < 0.05). The average lactation milk yield (LMY) was 519.2 ± 151 L (N: 261, range: 115–881.7, CV: 29.1 percent) and average lactation length was 239 days. LMY was significantly influenced by parity (P < 0.05) and season of calving. The heritability of DMY and LMY was 0.22 ± 0.16 and 0.13 ± 0.20, respectively. The repeatability estimates were 0.45 ± 0.05 and 0.49 ± 0.08 for DMY and LMY, respectively. Overall the heritability and repeatability estimates of milk yields indicate potential for genetic improvement of milk yield in Nublang cattle through selection. However, it is recommended that a larger dataset is generated to enable more precise estimates of genetic parameters.